Physician Assistant (4 + 3 M.S.)

Undergraduate students can earn their baccalaureate degree from St. Scholastica and apply for admission into the 24-month physician assistant master’s program.

The physician assistant program advances St. Scholastica’s commitment to the health care needs of rural areas in Minnesota and surrounding states.

Undergraduate students who follow the pre-physician assistant undergraduate program will meet all prerequisites for the physician assistant master’s program (please note that meeting the prerequisites does not guarantee acceptance into the master’s program). For more information, visit our FAQ page.

St. Scholastica gives priority review to applicants with a CSS undergraduate degree and military veterans.

A Physician Assistant (PA) is a licensed health professional who works under the supervision of a physician. The physician assistant reduces the physician's workload by taking over duties traditionally reserved for physicians and as delegated by the physician, including:

Taking health histories

Physical examinations

Treatment planning

Diagnosing

Ordering therapeutic procedures

Patient counseling

Assisting in surgery

Assisting physicians in health care institutions and patient homes

Prescribing medications

Clinicals

The first half of the Master's program is course work, with the second half consisting of clinical rotations.

Careers

According to the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development, Minnesota is ranked third among states with the highest occupational demand for physician assistants, producing occupational vacancies at the rate of 80 new jobs per year. The Bureau of Labor Statistics and the US Department of Labor state that "employment of physician assistants is projected to grow 38 percent [by] 2022, much faster than the average for all occupations. Increased demand for healthcare services from the growing and aging population and widespread chronic disease, combined with a shortage of physicians, will result in increased demand for healthcare providers, such as physician assistants."